urbanMSP

There are jersey barriers up onsite and traffic lanes have been reconfigured with paint included, so guessing we are going to see construction immediately following demo. Utility contractors and equipment onsite as well now.

Building came down today.

Quite the sight.

They were to pretty dismal buildings. Glad to see it.

I wish we knew what they are doing here. Did they take over the previous plans from the other developer?

I wish we knew what they are doing here. Did they take over the previous plans from the other developer?

Yes

It appears that construction from now on up will be wood construction? I thought buildings over a certain height (5 stories?) had to be concrete. Is it allowed that the top stories are allowed to be wood even if the overall project exceeds that height?

It appears that construction from now on up will be wood construction? I thought buildings over a certain height (5 stories?) had to be concrete. Is it allowed that the top stories are allowed to be wood even if the overall project exceeds that height?

I am not an expert on building codes, but you can go 5 stories of wood construction plus an mezzanine over a single level (first level) of concrete for a total of 7 floors.

In some markets they have been doing the same but with 2 levels of concrete to get 8 floors. Not sure if MN building codes allow for that or not.

My understanding is that, up until 2020, Minnesota was using the 2012 International Building Code, which allowed up to 5 stories of Type III (wood) construction on top of a one story podium of Type I (concrete or steel) construction, with a max height of 85'. This gave us the 5+1 apartment building we know and love, though there's a few exceptions with mezzanines that occasionally allow buildings to look like 7 stories instead of 6 from the outside, like East End in the Mill District and the Walkway in Uptown.

In 2020, Minnesota updated to the 2018 IBC, which still has the 5 stories of Type III and 85' max height limitations, but no longer limits the number of stories that the Type I podium can be. So, with shorter floor-to-floor heights to fit into the 85' max, you can now do 7 true stories and a mezzanine to get to effectively 8 stories, like this building will be.

It was the 2015 code cycle that allowed more than 1 level below the 3-hr podium lid but everything else is spot on.

Construction update 12/16:

3/16 - three months of construction and the final floor of wood framing is being started, brick facade and glass is in at street level, and upper level windows are going in.

View from Central. I'm liking how this wraps the older buildings, and the white metal panel is a nice contrast to the brick.

Looks like the project is called HenCen now, at least according to Solhem's website. Spring 2023 opening.

https://www.solhem.com/portfolio/hencen

Still virtual tours only, waiting for in person to be available, no date given.

View from Central. I'm liking how this wraps the older buildings, and the white metal panel is a nice contrast to the brick.

Looks like the project is called HenCen now, at least according to Solhem's website. Spring 2023 opening.

https://www.solhem.com/portfolio/hencen

It should have been named CenHen not HenCen:
https://www.startribune.com/neighborhoo ... 370387551/
https://streets.mn/2015/08/17/niebna-ol ... ess-place/

The siding material is shiny, which I like.

Toured on Saturday. Construction in the shared areas have a ways to go, but some units are good to go. Looks nice.